First Down Kentucky: Prepare for a Brock Vandagriff Breakout
Mark Stoops struggled to develop high school stars into SEC starting quarterbacks. The transfer portal provided a way for Kentucky to pivot. Will Levis created the blueprint for success and now Kentucky is investing in a similar player to follow that plan.
Similar to Levis, Brock Vandagriff is a physically gifted athlete who could not break through to find starting snaps at his former blueblood school. Unlike Levis, Vandagriff is bringing five-star pedigree to Lexington. While the new Kentucky quarterback may not provide as much offseason hype as Devin Leary, who had plenty of college production on his resume when he came to town, Pro Football Focus believes Vandagriff is one of ten college football players who are destined to have a breakout season in 2024.
Vandagriff has been around for a few years and is technically a two-time national champion, having played for Georgia from 2021 to 2023.
After losing a QB battle with Carson Beck last summer, Vandagriff earned recognition as one of the best backups in the country. However, with Beck returning for 2024, Vandagriff made the decision to transfer to Kentucky, where he can finally be the starting quarterback for a program on the rise.
The strong-armed 6-foot-3 quarterback dropped back to pass just 20 times last season but averaged 9.2 yards per pass attempt to earn an 87.0 PFF grade. He threw just 18 passes but recorded two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays.
Mitch Kaiser, PFF
ESPN Tiers College Football Quarterbacks
Not everyone is completely buying Vandagriff stonks. After all, exemplary quarterback play isn’t exactly something that has defined the Mark Stoops era. In his 11 years on the job, he has yet to field a 3,000-yard passer.
However, Levis was making plays for the Cats not that long ago and the Kentucky offense needs that from Vandagriff this fall. That is why ESPN’s David Hale categorized the Kentucky quarterbacks as “Shoes to fill” while tediously tiering every quarterback situation in FBS football. The Wildcats are in tier 8 of 20.
A Positive Kentucky QB Stat: Since 2011, Kentucky hasn’t had a single season of 20 TD passes and had just one season with 2,700 or more passing yards. The Wildcats have now hit those marks in three straight years.
A Negative Kentucky Quarterback Stat: In the past two seasons, 108 quarterbacks have started at least six Power 5 games. Kentucky transfer Gavin Wimsatt and Maryland’s MJ Morris rank 97th and 104th, respectively, in Total QBR.
This is how you Bleed Kentucky Blue
On Monday Down Syndrome of Louisville hosted a Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament fundraiser at Audobon Country Club in Louisville. Jeff Brohm was one of the celebrities in attendance and he encouraged one patron to pledge his allegiance to the Cards. “Hell no.”
Did You Know the Seahawks were almost the Mariners?
On this date in 1974, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced Tampa and Seattle would become the league’s next two expansion teams. The Seattle ownership used a democratic process to pick a name for the franchise. Over 20,000 fans submitted their votes and the Seahawks beat out the Mariners, Evergreens, Olympics, and Sockeyes.
I admittedly thought the Seattle baseball club came before the Seattle football franchise. The Seahawks kicked off their first season in 1976. One year later, the runner-up in the naming competition went to the baseball team when the Mariners played in their first game at the Kingdome. Imagine for a second if Ichiro played for the Seahawks and Marshawn Lynch went into beast mode with the Mariners. Weird, right?
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